The composition of the Buffalo nickel, a United States five-cent coin minted from 1913 to 1938, primarily consisted of copper and nickel. Particularly, the alloy was 75% copper and 25% nickel. This mix resulted in a sturdy and cost-effective coin for circulation. The absence of valuable metals within the composition ensured that the face worth of the coin precisely mirrored its intrinsic metallic worth.
The established metallic content material had vital implications for the coin’s longevity and resistance to put on throughout circulation. Moreover, using base metals helped to stabilize the coin’s worth towards fluctuations in valuable metallic markets, stopping speculative hoarding that would disrupt the economic system. The constant composition all through its mintage years supplied reliability in commerce and commerce.